What is an eternity ring? Meghan Markle appears to be wearing one
On Saturday, June 8, Meghan Markle made her first public appearance since giving birth to son Archie Harrison at the queen's Trooping the Colour. Royal fans were quick to notice that her sister-in-law Kate Middleton, who sat across from her in the procession, gave the Duchess of Sussex a subtle nod with her floral fascinator. They also noticed that Meghan was wearing a new ring. Many speculated that, since it was paired with her engagement ring and wedding ring, it was an eternity ring given to her by Prince Harry.
While the royals have not confirmed whether or not the new bling is indeed an eternity ring, it wouldn't be surprising as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently celebrated the birth of their son and their first wedding anniversary in May. So, exactly what is an eternity ring?
An eternity ring is the ultimate romantic gesture
An eternity ring is usually worn by women (but sometimes men) and signifies a couple's ongoing love and commitment. Traditionally, they're simple circular bands that are adorned with diamonds or gems all the way around in a continuous line, signifying never-ending love.
According to The Diamond Store magazine, "They’re usually bought to commemorate an important occasion in a couple’s relationship, such as a big wedding anniversary or the birth of a baby."
Where the tradition comes from
Eternity rings are not a new fad. In fact, their history first dates back to ancient Egyptian times, around 2000-1800 BC. Back then, circles symbolized eternity and the ring was used to demonstrate love, much like a wedding ring today. Early examples found in Egyptian tombstones were made from a range of materials including metal set with stones, or even carved bone.
Then in the 1960s, luxury diamond seller De Beers launched the actual concept of the eternity ring. For a 1982 investigative piece for The Atlantic, journalist Edward Jay Epstein found that the retailer had a secret agreement with the Soviet Union to sell their diamonds, which were generally very small. The trend in diamonds, of course, was the bigger the better, especially in engagement rings. So De Beers, with the help of a good advertising team, created the eternity ring and voiced that small diamonds had "the same emotional importance as larger stones" and stressed the importance of clarity and perfection in a diamond over size.
Still, as young men wanted bigger diamonds to propose with, they decided to market the smaller diamonds to more experienced couples. "DeBeers devised the 'eternity ring,' made up of as many as twenty-five tiny Soviet diamonds, which could be sold to an entirely new market of older married women. The advertising campaign was based on the theme of recaptured love," Epstein wrote.
When to give an eternity ring
At their start, eternity rings were given as anniversary presents. For those sticking with traditional gifts, diamonds are to be given on the 60th wedding anniversary. But as we know, diamonds are always an appropriate gift!
However, couples have now started sharing eternity rings after the birth of their first baby. According to Purely Diamonds, a jeweler in the UK, "Only in recent years did the original symbolism of the eternity ring as a representation of the circle of life resurface, which is when the welcoming of a couple’s first child into the world, by birth or adoption, became another tradition in which the gift of an eternity ring was deemed appropriate."
You can spot Meghan Markle's new ring, eternity or otherwise, in the gallery at the top.
Check out Kate Middleton's look at the 2019 Trooping the Colour in the slideshow below:
